European food safety regulators record spike in year-on-year foodborne outbreaks

13 Dec 2022 --- EU regulators have warned of an overall increase in reported cases of zoonotic diseases and foodborne outbreaks compared to the previous year, while adding that levels are still “well below” those of the pre-pandemic years. 

These findings were revealed in the latest annual EU One Health zoonosis report, released by European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

“The general drop compared to pre-pandemic years in reported cases and outbreaks is probably linked to COVID-19 control measures, which were still in place in 2021,” highlights the organization. 

“Among the few exceptions are the number of cases for yersiniosis and those of foodborne listeriosis outbreaks, which exceeded pre-pandemic levels.”

The most common sources of salmonellosis outbreaks were eggs, egg products and mixed foods, which are meals composed of various ingredients.

Salmonella accounts for majority of outbreaks
Most foodborne outbreaks (773) were caused by Salmonella, which accounted for 19.3% of the total, flags the report.

“Foodborne outbreaks differ from overall reported disease cases in that they are events in which at least two people contract the same illness from the same contaminated food,” outlines the EFSA.

The most common sources of salmonellosis outbreaks were eggs, egg products and “mixed foods,” which are meals composed of various ingredients.

The number of outbreaks caused by Listeria monocytogenes (23) was the highest ever reported. This might be linked to the increased use of whole genome sequencing techniques, which allow scientists to better detect and define outbreaks, notes the EFSA.

Poultry impacted
The report also covers overall reported zoonotic disease cases, which are not necessarily linked to outbreaks. 

Campylobacteriosis remains the most frequently reported zoonosis, with the number of reported cases increasing to 127,840 compared to 120,946 in 2020. Meat from chicken and turkeys was identified as the most common source. 

Salmonellosis was the second most reported zoonotic disease, affecting 60,050 people compared to 52,702 in 2020. 

The following commonly reported disease was yersiniosis (6,789 cases), often caused by eating raw or undercooked pork.

Infections caused by Shiga Toxin-producing E. coli climbed to 6,084 cases, commonly associated with leafy greens such as lettuce and spinach. Last September, in the US, infections linked to the bacteria spread across the nation’s rust belt states, reaching Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York state.

Campylobacteriosis – commonly associated with chicken and poultry – remains the most frequently reported zoonosis.The EU report also uncovered 2,183 listeriosis cases, which are often linked to raw, unpasteurized dairy products, ice cream, raw or processed vegetables, raw or processed fruits, raw or undercooked poultry, sausages, hot dogs, deli meats and raw or smoked fish and other seafood.

A salient issue
Food safety has come into prominent focus in the last few months, as the food industry has dealt with intense measures to curb the deadly avian flu outbreak that threatens the US and UK markets. Producers have had to watch closely as turkey prices spiked approaching the holiday season.

Producers are also doing their best to juggle food safety concerns along with clean label demands from consumers, which pushes up the marketability of natural preservation solutions. In this space, shelf life extension specialist Kemin Food Technologies recently developed a nitrite alternative for use in the first stage of emulsified cooked sausages, Rubinite GC Dry.

Last August, Corbion scored a patent for a method for increasing the efficacy of vinegar-based preservation solutions that are marketed as providing higher pathogen control with less taste impact in processed meats.

On the packaging front, Aptar Food + Beverage introduced InvisiShield technology, an anti-pathogenic packaging solution for sealed containers, to the fresh produce sector. The technology releases a chlorine dioxide antimicrobial solution onto the product to protect it from hepatitis A, as well as E. coli and Salmonella.

By Benjamin Ferrer